TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

02-28-2009, 09:59 PM

Firstly, thanks to everyone for the responses. Based on the answers I'm seeing, I'll be looking at the 2.5" lift kit.

To answer Bill's question (regarding why I want a lift at all), I have a couple of reasons. One is that I do tow just a bit nose-high which scrapes my rear stabilizer jacks occasionally (and every time when I go into the driveway). With the Expedition, using weight bearing hitches, I would need a draw bar that has a ball mount that is in the center of the receiver, which I cannot find. If I flip the draw bar then I'm nose low by more than I'm currently nose high, and I still have the problem. 2.5" will even it out. I've considered a WDH with an adjustable ball mount, but I've actually been talked out of it by several people who have looked at my setup. I'm planning on swinging by the local CAT scales this spring once I'm loaded up to convince myself that I'm not exceeding any spec's, but my ballpark estimations give me a little margin.

Another thing I've thought of is that I would like to be able to attach a cheap pair of chains onto the trailer if heaven forbid I ever get stuck on the wrong side of a pass in a late Spring or early Fall snowstorm. For instance, we were pondering going to Cheyenne Mtn State Park over the first week of April because my kids get the week off of school. That puts me on the wrong side of Monument Hill, which can still get slick that time of year if a freak snowstorm shows up. I have no intention of driving through snow or ice, but I can't guarantee that it won't happen out here. Yes I know chains or cables will rattle everything to death, forcing me to creep along at 20 mph, but I've seen too many trailers jack-knife in slick weather.

Without some lift I just don't see that I have the clearance in the wheel well for cables or chains. I know that there has been discussion that the newer models have the "factory lift", but that appears to just have to do with the way the Dexter axle is set up. The main thing I see is that there isn't enough clearance in the wheel well for chains or cables.

As for the idea of 5", I'm pretty much talked out of it.

02-28-2009, 09:59 PM	#9
markandanne Guest Posts: n/a	Firstly, thanks to everyone for the responses. Based on the answers I'm seeing, I'll be looking at the 2.5" lift kit. To answer Bill's question (regarding why I want a lift at all), I have a couple of reasons. One is that I do tow just a bit nose-high which scrapes my rear stabilizer jacks occasionally (and every time when I go into the driveway). With the Expedition, using weight bearing hitches, I would need a draw bar that has a ball mount that is in the center of the receiver, which I cannot find. If I flip the draw bar then I'm nose low by more than I'm currently nose high, and I still have the problem. 2.5" will even it out. I've considered a WDH with an adjustable ball mount, but I've actually been talked out of it by several people who have looked at my setup. I'm planning on swinging by the local CAT scales this spring once I'm loaded up to convince myself that I'm not exceeding any spec's, but my ballpark estimations give me a little margin. Another thing I've thought of is that I would like to be able to attach a cheap pair of chains onto the trailer if heaven forbid I ever get stuck on the wrong side of a pass in a late Spring or early Fall snowstorm. For instance, we were pondering going to Cheyenne Mtn State Park over the first week of April because my kids get the week off of school. That puts me on the wrong side of Monument Hill, which can still get slick that time of year if a freak snowstorm shows up. I have no intention of driving through snow or ice, but I can't guarantee that it won't happen out here. Yes I know chains or cables will rattle everything to death, forcing me to creep along at 20 mph, but I've seen too many trailers jack-knife in slick weather. Without some lift I just don't see that I have the clearance in the wheel well for cables or chains. I know that there has been discussion that the newer models have the "factory lift", but that appears to just have to do with the way the Dexter axle is set up. The main thing I see is that there isn't enough clearance in the wheel well for chains or cables. As for the idea of 5", I'm pretty much talked out of it.